Network News - Winter 2009/2010 (PDF 3.7Mb - Canadian Breast ...

Bust a Move for Breast Health
Breast cancer – two small words
that instantly strike fear in the
hearts of patients everywhere. In
Nova Scotia, the statistics are sobering.
Breast cancer is the most common
cancer and the most common cause
of death among females aged 20-49,
accounting for 40% of cancer diagnoses
and 25% of cancer-related deaths in
this province. Every second day, the
disease claims a victim and a family is
shattered.
Mammography is the best tool for the
early detection of breast cancer. Studies
show that after screening 70% of a
total population the death rate from
breast cancer will decrease by 30%.
Mammography screening services
in this province are provided by the
Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program
(NSBSP) through 11 fixed sites and
three mobile units.
In order to make further progress
against the disease in Nova Scotia,
more women need to be aware of the
benefits of screening mammography
and the NSBSP needs to increase its
capacity to provide this service.
The Canadian Breast Cancer
Foundation is currently sponsoring the
“Tour for the Cure” bus campaign. The
campaign focuses on educating women
on the benefits of early breast cancer
screening with mammography, and is
being conducted throughout Atlantic
Canada. It provides an unprecedented
recruitment strategy.
The NSBSP is addressing the capacity
issue through a program, currently
underway but as of yet only partially
completed, to provide digital
mammography services to all women
in Nova Scotia. The completion of the
conversion to digital mammography
from analog will provide the needed
capacity. With this new digital
equipment, technologists are able
to increase the volume of studies
done by 75% as compared to the old
film technology. In addition, digital
mammography provides improved
image quality with 40% less radiation
and all the benefits of the digital world
(computer aided diagnosis being only
one). It’s a win-win scenario.
Present data shows that with the
new technology in play, already 88
more cancers were found in 2008 as
compared to 2007 and the rollout of
digital mammography in the province
is only half complete. Young women
in particular have derived the most
benefit. The data to date shows that the
program has found 50% more cancers
in women 40-49, and 30% more in
women 50-59.
Although Nova Scotia has many
leading health services and care
providers, parts of the breast health
system are disconnected and services
are dispersed throughout several
buildings at the QEII and IWK Health
Centre. As a result, patients are
experiencing gaps in care. But the
journey through breast cancer can be
made easier and mortality rates can be
reduced. An integrated, world-class
breast health system in Nova Scotia
would achieve both. That is why it is a
vision the QEII and IWK Health Centre
are both committed to achieving.
Completion of the rollout of digital
mammography in the Capital District
will provide all of the above benefits
to the women of this area and decrease
wait times in the district. For this
reason completing the rollout of digital
mammography has become the goal
of the region’s two leading hospital
charities, the IWK Foundation and the
QE II Foundation. These foundations
are teaming up to organize a
fundraising event to complete the
digital mammography rollout in
the Capital District. Bust a Move for
Breast Health, a unique home-grown
event, will make its debut in Halifax,
Nova Scotia, on January 30, 2010 at
the Halifax Metro Centre. Participants
will raise pledges to support breast
cancer digital mammography, and
attempt to break a pair of Guinness
World Records. This one day fitness
extravaganza is guaranteed to
challenge the body and uplift the
spirit.
“Six hours of physical activity from
aerobics to yoga and zumba, world
record-setting activities, ambitious
fundraising goals, and the energy
of up to 1,000 participants will
combine to create a completely unique
experience,” said the event’s volunteer
chairperson, Marie Mullally. “We are
so excited about the positive impact
Bust a Move will make. It is a costeffective
and exciting concept that will
deliver much-needed funds.”
Bust a Move participants will follow a
six-hour exercise routine led by local
and celebrity fitness instructors and
designed for every fitness level – from
beginners to fitness gurus. The event
will be divided up into six one-hour
sessions followed by a cool down.
Throughout the day hourly prizes will
be distributed and inspiring patient
testimonials will be heard. Healthy
snacks and refreshments, attentive
volunteers, and essential services
such as first aid and massage therapy
will be on site to ensure participants’
comfort, safety and enjoyment.
Delivering fully integrated patient
services through a breast health
12 Network News Winter 2009-10